


One (Big) Mistake

by Alyson



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Crew as Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Families of Choice, Family, Hopeful Ending, Infidelity, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-26 02:49:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9858650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alyson/pseuds/Alyson
Summary: Summary for Chapters 1 and 2.1: At the end of the five year mission, Hikaru discovers that his husband had a one night stand with an alien that reproduces parasitically, leaving him pregnant.  Not able to handle the betrayal, Hikaru ends the marriage, but can he really tear apart the family he and Ben have worked so long to build?(Alternate Summary for Chapters 1 and 2.2: At the end of the five year mission, Hikaru discovers that his husband had a one night stand with an alien that reproduces parasitically, leaving him pregnant.  Not able to handle the betrayal, Hikaru ends the marriage.  Jim Kirk is at a crossroads in his life and career.  He takes a path that leads him right into the family he always wanted.)





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> This one is kind of depressing, at least at the beginning. It does get better. I apologize if Hikaru seems like an ass at any point, but I don't think he behaves unreasonably. The characters are probably OOC, but I've never seen them in this situation, and we haven't seen much of Ben at all, so I felt free to play around with his personality. I thought about tagging it as a happy ending, but while I do think it is happy for the most part, there is still some sadness, so I used hopeful instead. Please enjoy what I believe is a rare pairing.

There were a few things during his week that Hikaru Sulu looked forward to: his time in the Botany Lab, alone with his plants; his weekly reserved time in Rec Room Four, teaching Chekov how to fence (he was getting so much better, made Hikaru proud); and, most of all, his subspace calls to his family. They were the same time every week and he counted down the days, the hours, the minutes until he got to see their smiling faces.

Except this time, for some reason, Ben wasn't smiling. He looked sick.

“Ben, is everything alright? Is Demora OK?”

“She's fine! No, I didn't mean to worry you, I, well, we need to talk.”

“That's why I called,” Hikaru tried to joke, but there was a frisson of fear creeping up his spine. “Ben, honey, you can tell me anything, you know that right? What's wrong?”

The other man closed his eyes and sighed. Hikaru realized he looked tired and pale. They were near the end of the five year mission. He was on his way home. He had found out earlier in the week that the Enterprise was going to Yorktown for the refit, upgrades and mission debriefing. He had been excited to let Ben know that it would only be another month, not two, and their family could be in one spot again; at least until it was time for Hikaru to leave on the next assignment. He wondered if there was a way he could get to his husband sooner, or stay with him longer. Being alone with a small child was clearly taking its toll on him.

“I don't know how to tell you this.”

“Baby, just tell me. Are you sick? What's going on? You're honestly scaring me right now.”

“Baby, oh my god,” Bed huffed out a laugh that didn't sound the least bit happy. He wiped a tear away he hadn't been able to stop from falling then resolutely faced the comm and looked Hikaru in the eye. “I got lonely. I had an affair. I'm so sorry. I know there's no excuse.”

Hikaru's entire world shattered. He suddenly felt as sick as Ben looked and wondered if he was about to throw up.

“Are you leaving me for him?”

“No. God no. It was a horrible mistake. I'm desperately hoping you can find some way to forgive me and we can move on from this.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Hikaru grated out, tears finally falling. “Is it to relieve your own guilt? Cause I've got to tell you, I'm not feeling very sympathetic right now and you suffering with the guilt is about what I think you deserve and I sure as hell don't deserve the pain of knowing about it! If you're not leaving me, damn it, why tell me?”

“Because, it was with a Delnobian.”

Hikaru felt himself go cold at that announcement. The tears stopped and he felt his face freeze into a stiff mask.

“I don't understand,” he bit out. “Did he not tell you he was Delnobian?”

“No.”

“Have you filed charges?”

“No. And... I'm not going to.”

Hikaru felt like ripping his hair out. Delnobians were a relatively new species to the Federation, and even if they weren't, from the outside they were indiscernible from Humans. However, the rest of their biology was completely different. They mated in the same basic sexual way except there was no such thing as gender or sexuality. On their world, they coexisted with two other species that were much more like Humans. The Delnobians, however, were a parasitic race. They all appeared to be male and their ejaculate was made up of a protective fluid that surrounded one, sometimes two, fertilized eggs. They could not reproduce with each other and they were mother and father in one.

When the planet, along with the three races, had joined the Federation, rules for interacting with Humans were laid down. The Delnobian's sister races (the Elenshire and the Maris) had evolved to be able to tell them apart and would carry their young. For them an agreement to do so was as simple as an offer of sex and the other party would walk away impregnated entirely by the other, whether they were male or female. Humans, and other species, had no way of knowing that they weren't being propositioned by another Human. In the early days Human males had found themselves pregnant, something that had always been impossible.

The Delnobians were required to tell everyone they were offering to have sex with what their species was, what that meant, and that they were interested in sex only as a way of reproducing. They were also required to enter into written contracts: Delnobians did not raise their own offspring. As part of their parasitic nature, they were hard wired to leave immediately after conception took place and their child would live with the host, being raised as part of the family, with the host being responsible for educating the child on their heritage and even introducing them to others of their species so they could learn more. Delnobians who failed to inform others of this and produce a contract would be forced to provide child support and could be imprisoned.

“Why? Don't know his name?”

Hikaru honestly hadn't meant it as a jab, but Ben flinched at the seemingly cold accusation and Hikaru didn't apologize. 

“It's not that. He came back a week later, before I knew, and apologized, told me everything. Seems they go through mating cycles and he was desperate, could see how lonely I was. Offered to go ahead and start supporting the child, though asked not to be forced to interact with him until he was older, ready to find out about himself. They don't do well with young children, it seems.”

“There's a plan? I know an abortion isn't the safest in these circumstances, but it can be done.”

“Hikaru, you know I can't do that.”

“I don't know anything about you! You are well within your rights, legally and morally, to have it done. Why won't you?”

“He's my child,” Ben replied, crying freely again.

“No, he's not. Not one strand of DNA is yours. You are just a host to a parasite!”

“It's still a child!”

“It's a child that is destroying your family. I'll be there in a month,” Ben looked shell shocked and didn't ask why sooner than expected. “We WILL continue to discuss this. Dr. McCoy is the best surgeon in the Fleet, probably the Federation. He can do the operation. Yeah, this is for the best. He's the only one I trust with your safety.”

“What will Demora think?” Ben asked, shaking his head.

“You've told her?” Hikaru nearly yelled, shocked yet again.

Then Ben stood up and he was even more shocked. He was sporting a baby bump that made him look either half way through the pregnancy or that he was carrying a litter.

“I couldn't NOT tell her,” Ben admitted as he carefully sat back down.

“Why did you wait so long to tell me? My god, every week, you've been sitting there hiding, acting like everything was fine. Why didn't Demora say anything?”

“I... I asked her not to.”

“Seriously? Does she think it's mine? She's a smart little girl, she has to know that Human males can't get pregnant without help.”

“I told her that we had planned it but I wanted to surprise you that the pregnancy took.”

“And how are you going to explain that the baby doesn't look like either of us? That kid's going to be paler than Mr. Chekov.”

“I told her we used a donor.”

“Great. Just great. You've been lying to me and to our daughter,” Hikaru slammed his hand on the desk, causing Ben to jump. “Well, you can keep lying to her. Why not? You've already started. Sounds like you're doing a good job. Just tell her it's not viable after all. That it's sick, or something. You'll go in, see Dr. McCoy, have a 'miscarriage' and it will be over. Then we can carry on with our life.”

“Hikaru, please don't do this,” Ben begged. “I can't do that, please! I'm sorry I've been lying. I made a mistake, a huge mistake, and I've been trying to cover it up ever since to our daughter and hide it from you, which has made it even worse, but it's not this baby's fault. Please, just think it over, give yourself time. You're so angry with me right now, don't make any rash decisions.”

Hikaru sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. He knew, on some level, that Ben was right. He also knew he'd never be able to forgive his husband with the evidence of his betrayal looking him in the face every time he called, every time he was home.

“I know you're lonely,” he conceded. “I also know a child and helping out at the school and even working isn't the same as having your spouse home. I'll come home. Please, just, I can't live with you carrying HIS offspring. The Yorktown is already offering me a position as a pilot. I'll still get to fly shuttles and small exploratory vessels but I won't be gone more than a week at a time. I'll be home! And, we can see about surragating another child, a brother or sister for Demora, that would be OUR baby.”

“Hikaru, this could be our baby,” Ben protested, voice sounding small. Hikaru knew he had lost.

“I'll resent it every time I see it,” he stated.

“I'll hate you if you make me do this,” Ben replied, tilting his chin up in defiance. Hikaru nodded once.

“Then we've decided. I'll have the divorce papers ready when I get there, and I'll be accepting the continued position on the Enterprise. I'll give you physical custody of Demora, but I expect visitation whenever I have shore leave.”

“Hikaru, please, give yourself time to think about this!”

“I know myself. I told you what I needed and you chose. And you didn't choose me. And Ben? I get lonely, too. I miss your arms around me and your warm body next to me, but I've never betrayed you, regardless of the opportunities.”

With that parting shot, Hikaru disconnected the transmission, effectively hanging up on his soon to be ex-husband. It was only then that he realized he hadn't spoken with his daughter. That was the last blow to his emotions. He covered his face with his hands and wept.

*~*~*~*

At the close of the five year mission, Jim Kirk found himself sitting in one of the smaller observation decks, holding a tumbler of whiskey, staring out at space. They were currently at warp, so there wasn't really anything to see outside the windows, but it didn't matter. Jim's vision was turned more inward than outward. A melancholy had settled over him that he just couldn't shake.

The doors hissed open and he looked over his shoulder to see Dr. McCoy waltzing in, in off duty clothes. He flopped down in the chair across from Jim, picked up his own tumbler and poured himself a drink. He took a drink as he contemplated the scene outside. It still gave him the heebie jeebies.

“Next week,” the doctor commented, breaking the silence. “You ready?”

“As I'll ever be,” Jim admitted, taking another drink.

“You know, you don't have to do this,” McCoy said quietly. “You can continue on with the Enterprise. Just because they're offering you a promotion doesn't mean you have to take it. The way Old Spock talked, we were all supposed to be flying around on this tin can for the rest of our lives, getting into trouble and making a difference.”

“Well, he was kinda vague,” Kirk chuckled. “He also said, upon meeting Demora when she was born, that Sulu must really like that name. Last time he had a daughter that was the result of a one night stand with a Glamazon, a woman, no less. That little girl also ended up being called Demora.”

“Well, Sulu's not so much homosexual as he really likes good shoulders. Ben's got good shoulders.”

“You think?”

“Not my cup of tea, but yeah, sure. I can appreciate non gender specific shoulders.”

“Why are we suddenly talking about Ben Sulu and his nice shoulders?”

“Hmm. Guess he and Hikaru have been on all of our minds, lately. Better get used to calling him Ben Young, though. I heard he was going to back to his own name.”

Jim put his drink down on the floor beside him and turned to face Leonard fully. His surprise was clearly written on his face.

“What are you talking about? I've been so tied up in ship's business, what have I missed?”

“Good lord, you're kidding. It's been all over the ship for the past three weeks. You haven't noticed how depressed Sulu's been?”

“I've only seen him duty, lately. He always looks stoic, to me.”

“Yeah, well, he's been spending a lot of time crying on Nyota's and Pavel's shoulders. I can only say this because you're ship's Captain and it'll be in your reports anyhow, but I've had to prescribe him sleeping pills. Hell, it's rumored his last call home was so volatile other crewmen swear they could hear him yelling through his quarter's doors. Luckily Pavel is a terrible gossip and since he finally started getting chest hair likes to come to Med Bay for a drink with me.”

“Pavel's getting chest hair?”

“Now, Jim, I can't tell you that. Doctor/patient confidentiality.”

“Oh, sure. Now tell me what's going on.”

“Ben had an affair, it was with a Denubian so there's plenty of evidence, he's refusing to terminate the pregnancy, so Hikaru is divorcing him.”

Jim sat with his mouth hanging open. He couldn't believe it. First of all, how could he have missed such prime gossip, especially if Uhura, Ms. Gossip herself, was one of the people he was talking to? His best friend was getting information directly from Sulu's best friend and his OTHER best friend was still shamelessly fraternizing with Sulu's other best friend. Most of all, however, he couldn't believe that the picture perfect representation of a Starfleet family, the Sulus, were divorcing. Hell, he couldn't believe poor Ben was pregnant!

“Good thing I'm leaving the ship, because screw what may have happened in the previous time line, this is the end of an era. Spock and Uhura are getting married and transferring to that science vessel, Chekov's being promoted to Second Officer of the Reliant, he'll be First Officer before you know it, mark my words, and you're leaving all together.”

“Well, I'm going to Earth and Starfleet Medical.”

“As a civilian consultant! I feel truly betrayed.”

“Only because you'll miss me.”

“Damn right, I'll miss you.”

*~*~*~*

It was too late that night, so Jim opted to wait till the next morning, before shift. An hour before he needed to be on the Bridge, he headed to Hikaru's quarters, hoping to catch him before he left for breakfast. He was in luck. The door opened to reveal Hikaru sitting on the edge of his neatly made bed, pulling on his boots. Otherwise, he was ready for the day, his uniform perfectly pressed, his hair just right.

“Captain, I was just heading out for breakfast. What can I do for you?”

“I'm afraid I'm behind on all of the latest ship's news. It seems I'm a bit late in offering my condolences.”

Sulu stood up, his face falling a little, his eyes suddenly looking old and tired.

“Thank you, sir,” he said quietly. “It's been a tough few weeks, but I've had a good support network.”

“I'm glad to hear that.” Jim stepped into his space, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I know it's really none of my business, but is there really no hope? No way to reconcile?” 

“No,” Hikaru breathed, sounding as if his entire world were over. “I suppose you know why we're getting divorced. He refuses to meet me half way on this. He thinks I should be able to magically accept this child as my own. Well, I've been told I'm a good man, but I'm not that good of a person. I finally stopped trying to get him to terminate, finally accepted what he was saying, that he couldn't do that. Hell, I get that now that I've had some time. But he won't consider adoption, either.”

“Well, I have no advice to give,” Jim admitted. “I've been so jealous of your little family, I think if I get pregnant I'd desperately try to keep it, too. But the situation's not the same.”

“No, it's not,” Hikaru agreed, shaking his head. “Ben has a family, a husband, a daughter. I even offered to take a position at the base and for us to have another baby together. There's no reason for him to want to keep this one.”

“Maybe he's bonded to his unborn child? It happens, a lot.”

“But it's not his.”

“Maybe biology doesn't matter in this case,” Kirk dropped his hand and stepped back, shaking his head. “I'm sorry, Hikaru, I came to offer what comfort I could, not to be Devil's Advocate for your ex.”

“Actually, that was comforting,” the other man admitted. “Maybe I have more to think about. Hey, come on, let's get breakfast before we have to go on duty.”

“Aye, aye!”

As he walked towards the door to exit into the corridor, Kirk briefly glanced around the quarters. Sulu still had items he had gathered on shore leaves and gifts from his parents on his shelves, but all the pictures of Ben had been packed away.

*~*~*~*

They were two days from Yorktown and the Captain was procrastinating. He knew that Sulu's weekly comm to his family had been the day before and that morning when the man had come on shift he just wasn't himself. He had always been able to put aside whatever was going on in his life and look and act the part of an upright Starfleet officer. But that morning he looked pale, tired and his eyes were rimmed in red. Chekov kept shooting him side glances, a look of sadness on his own face.

Kirk didn't want to interfere, but he was feeling so nosy. This was his family. Hikaru had been serving under him for almost seven years and he'd only been married six of those. He had been there when Ben, and then Demora, had become a part of Hikaru's family, therefore, Jim's. He had a right to stick his nose in it. He had a right to place the comm call.

Having convinced himself, Jim opened his personal comm and contacted the Gamma shift communications officer.

“Go ahead and patch through the call I requested you set up earlier, Ensign.”

“Aye, sir.”

It took a few minutes for the call to make it across subspace and sync with the Enterprise, but once it did it only took two rings before the Sulu's comm was being answered by a surprised and hopeful looking Ben. His face dropped a little when he saw it was Kirk, but he still offered a genuine smile. Jim smiled back; he'd always liked Hikaru's husband.

“Captain? To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Ben, please, call me Jim. I was just calling to see how you were doing. With all that's been going on I was a little concerned about you in your condition, if you don't mind me putting it in such an old fashioned way.”

“Oh, yeah, I figured everyone on board must know,” he replied, one hand disappearing under the desk he was sitting at. Jim knew he must be covering his stomach, a protective gesture he had seen many pregnant beings show. It made his heart ache for the sad looking man on the screen. “You're the first person from the ship I've heard from,” he continued, “so I don't really know what all you've been told, though I know Hikaru wouldn't lie.”

“No, and while I don't know what's actually been said to anyone but me, no one has a bad word about you. We're just all so sorry for you both. At least I am. I talked to Hikaru a few days ago and thought maybe... well, he said he had a lot to think about. I guess I was hoping you two would start reconciling, but he didn't look like that's what happened.”

“No,” Ben whispered, his already sore looking eyes filling with tears. “What... what did you say? If you can tell me, I know he's part of your crew...”

“It's OK, I just told him I thought you had bonded with the child you're carrying, that giving it up just wasn't an option regardless of where it came from.”

“Thank you,” Ben sighed, tears falling freely. “That must have helped. This last time we talked... well he was actually kind and understanding. Asked for MY forgiveness, even though he doesn't owe me an apology, I'm the one who betrayed him.”

“Oh, I don't know,” Jim said, getting a far off look on his face. “Being a family is about being able to forgive each other. Maybe he does owe you an apology, for not being about to get through this. Doesn't mean he's doing anything wrong in ending your marriage; he can't be expected to stay if he's going to be miserable. But he shouldn't be cruel to you just because this was a 'for worse' he couldn't handle.”

Jim came back to himself to find Ben leaning on one hand, listening intently, the lines around his eyes softer than before.

“Could you honestly forgive someone if they did to you what I did to Hikaru?”

“In the past couple of years, I've found myself wanting it all, the spouse, the kids, a dirt side station so I don't have to be away from them for months on end,” he smiled brightly in reply. “Yeah, I think I could eventually forgive. I sure as hell would fight to my last breath for it. I don't believe in no win situations. I'm Captain James T. Fuck'n Kirk, haven't you heard?”

Jim was happy to see Ben laughing. It had probably been far too long since he had.

*~*~*~*

As was the norm, the Captain of the ship was the last to leave. Jim arrived in the transporter room at the same time as his senior staff, there to watch them disembark before taking his turn.

“Hey, Jim,” McCoy greeted when he arrived. “Did you know Dr. Marcus is stationed here?”

“No, I didn't,” he admitted. “Maybe we can catch up with her while we're here.”

“Yeah, that would be good.”

Jim chuckled to himself, knowing how big of a crush Bones had had on the weapon's expert. With luck, and a lot of cooperation from the doctors, maybe he could talk Bones into applying for a position on Yorktown, instead. It would be nice to have him around. He glanced around the room, his good humor fading as his eyes landed on Hikaru. He was standing by himself, clutching his luggage, eyes glued to the floor and shoulders slumped. Kirk approached him, the pilot only noticing him when he put his hand on his shoulder.

“You doing alright?” he asked quietly.

“No,” Sulu admitted. “I don't know how I'm going to react to seeing him in person. This is so weird. You'd think I had time to adjust after a month of knowing what I was coming... home... to. God, it isn't my home, anymore, is it?”

“Sure it is,” Kirk said, voice confident. “Your daughter is here. Wherever she is that's home and nothing that changes in your relationship with Ben should affect that.”

“Yeah, you're right. Oh, crap, it's my turn.” Sulu gave Kirk a slightly panicked look then strode over to the transporter pad and stepped on with the other Lieutenant Commanders on the Bridge crew. Kirk gave him what he hoped was a reassuring wave as they were beamed down.

“I hope he's going to be alright,” he sighed, aiming his comment in the general direction of Spock and McCoy. “That said, I'm more worried about Ben. I'll give them a day or two, but I'm going to stop by and see how he's doing.”

“That's a good idea,” McCoy agreed. “All of us who have known him should go see him, maybe take him out to lunch. Both Sulus are going to need our support through all of this.”

With that, McCoy stepped on to the transporter pad next to Spock, who had already positioned himself for beam down.

“We will see you in a moment, Captain,” Spock said to him just before the beam took them.

With no small amount of trepidation, Jim stepped onto the transporter pad himself. He was worried about the scene he was about to beam into.


	2. Chapter 2.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the Hikaru/Ben chapter where everything has a happy ending. This wasn't due to popular demand (though the general consensus has been that people are devastated at the idea that I would split them up), this was due to my own freak out over splitting them up. I wanted to write that story, but I also needed to make it right. So, if you are strictly a Hikaru/Ben person, this is the end of the story for you! Enjoy!

Chapter 2.2

When Hikaru re-materialized and he stepped out of the transporter room and into the open courtyard, his eyes went directly to his waiting family. With a grin, he crouched down and scooped up a running Demora. She was almost too big to do that anymore, but he'd take it for as long as she still wanted to run and jump into his arms, no matter how big she got. He stood with her in his arms, and, with no little amount of trepidation, approached a very pregnant Ben.

“Are you surprised, Daddy?” Demora asked with a giggle, pointing at her Pappa.

“Very,” Hikaru responded as happily as he could, but there must have been something in his tone that the little girl picked up on because she didn't protest when he set her down and she wisely stayed silent for the rest of the encounter.

When Hikaru looked at his husband, a man he had often referred to as the love of his life, something inside cracked and a warmth he hadn't felt in a month welled up in his chest. All he wanted to do was wipe that sad, lost look from his face and reassure him that everything was fine. His hand on the swell of his belly, the swell that had so angered Hikaru and made him feel ill, was suddenly a endearing gesture that Hikaru realized he wanted to see as often as possible. His vision blurred with unshed tears as he quickly closed the distance between them and pulled a surprised, and slightly struggling, Ben into his arms. Once his lips sealed over his husband's in an uncommon display of public affection, Ben stopped fighting and melted into him, clutching the gold uniform top in a desperate grip.

“Hikaru?” The name a loaded, suspicious question that Ben asked once he was let up for air.

“I can't do it,” Hikaru replied, laying his forehead against Ben's. “I thought I would never forgive you and that our marriage was over. I was so /angry/. I'm such a fool. I love you so much and I will give anything, /do/ anything, to keep our family together. Please, forgive me, and take me back?”

“Oh, god,” Ben was outright crying and at that proclamation, his knees gave out and it was all Hikaru could do to hold him up with the extra weight of the child he was carrying. Suddenly, his burden was relieved.

“Lay him down!” Kirk exclaimed as he took some of Ben's weight from Hikaru.

“What's wrong with Pappa?!”

“Damnit, Sulu, what did you do?” Dr. McCoy grumbled as he pushed his way to their sides and knelt down by a disoriented Ben.

“Come here, sweetie, Pappa's going to be OK,” Hikaru reassured his daughter as he picked her up, making room for the doctor. “And for the record, nothing! I don't care what's going on, I'd never hurt him!”

“Hey, I know that,” McCoy said sheepishly as he ran a Tricorder over the prone man. “I just thought your little reunion after putting him through a month of hell might have overloaded his senses. Ben, have you been getting prenatal care?”

“Yes. With Dr. Mason.”

“Frank Mason?”

“Yes.”

“That damn hack. You're malnourished. He should have been keeping an eye on that. Human males aren't built for this so it takes a lot more energy. You need to be taking supplements and eating more. Your weight is on target, if you were female. You need to be about ten pounds heavier as a man with a passenger.”

“Doc,” Hikaru interrupted. “I know you're not an OB, but you're the only doctor I trust with Ben right now. Would you please take over? Stay until the baby's born?”

“Yeah, if that's OK with the actual patient.”

“Absolutely, I've been telling Jim I wish you were stationed here. I can't stand having my hand patted and being placated.”

“Well, I won't do that! Up you get and Hikaru! Take him to lunch, that's an order!”

“Yes, sir,” Hikaru automatically responded before shaking his head. “Captain? I didn't know you and Ben had been talking.”

“Well, at the time, it was none of your business,” Jim replied, the hardness in his voice making the other man step back. Kirk caught himself and softened his tone. “But now it is and I'm very glad of that. We were all calling him, after awhile, making sure he was doing OK.”

“Wish I had noticed how pale he was,” the doctor chimed in. “The lighting next to your comm unit is terrible.”

“We'll be sure to fix that,” Hikaru smiled, stepping over to Ben and wrapping an arm around his waist. “I'm glad you guys were there for him as well as me.”

“We're all family, no matter what,” Jim replied, then clapped McCoy on the shoulder, drawing him away from the growing family. “Now you three go to lunch like the doctor ordered and finish the reconciliation.”

“You got it,” Hikaru grinned, the weight of the world finally off of his shoulders, despite all the work he knew there was still to do. He began to turn his family away, but Ben broke free and stepped into Kirk's personal space.

“Thank you,” he said, hugging him and pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I don't think I could have gotten through this without you.”

“I was happy to help,” Jim said, hugging him back tightly.

“You'll still stay in touch, right? No matter where you end up stationed?”

“You bet I will. And speaking of where I'll be stationed, I agreed a week ago to take the position of Rear Admiral here on the Yorktown. It was open again and I already had the promotion, just had to pick the station.”

“Oh, well, in that case, you have a standing invitation to dinner!”

“Shouldn't you run that by Hikaru?”

“No way, you're my friend, too.”

“Then I will be there,” Jim said, then lowered his voice further. “Whenever you need me.”

Looking happier than he had in ages, Ben stepped back and rejoined his husband and daughter. As they left, McCoy, who had been close enough to hear everything, stepped up to Jim and squeezed his shoulder.

“You gonna be OK, kid?”

“Yeah, of course, why?”

“Well, I know you've been thinking about having a family and with the Sulus nearly splitting up.... It just seemed to me like you had developed a little crush on Ben. I thought maybe you were thinking you could fill the void Hikaru was leaving and have an instant family.”

“Oh, Bones,” Jim laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, I may have had a /small/ crush on Ben, but it wasn't serious and I'm not stupid enough to believe it would be that easy. Ben loves Hikaru. He was /devastated/ about the split. I think it would have taken him a long time to get over that and move on, if he was ever able to. I'm glad Hikaru finally came to his senses.”

“Good, and so am I. That said, I still worry about you.”

“Well, then maybe you should stay here on Yorktown and keep an eye on me.”

McCoy rolled his eyes and walked away without another word.

 

Ten Years Later:

“Hikaru, I know you have to go, but please be careful. I'm so worried.”

“I know sweet heart, it's going to be OK,” he replied, pulling Ben into his arms and kissing his temple.

“Chapel's a doctor now!” McCoy called as he walked into their living room, oblivious to the moment he was interrupting. “I'm going to need a good head nurse, not a doctor arguing every little diagnosis with me!”

“Well, doc, there's not much I can do about that,” Hikaru smiled at the other man.

“Jim's not here yet?”

“Nope.”

“Now he is!”

The three men turned to greet a smiling Janice Kirk (nee Rand, and hadn't that been a huge surprise to find Jim's former Yeoman assigned to the Yorktown, and an even bigger surprise that she accepted Kirk's invitation to a date, then a proposal of marriage two years later), holding a squirming, blond toddler on her hip.

“George, calm down,” she lightly admonished the child before the child's father swept around her, taking their son from her and tossing him into the air and then towards Ben.

“Special delivery to Uncle Ben! Thank you again for taking him while we're all gone.”

“No problem, I'm happy to have him here. You just make sure you bring my husband back to me in one piece.”

“Absolutely,” Jim smiled, leaning in to kiss Ben on the cheek as he put George down. George immediately headed up the stairs behind him, knowing he would likely find the Sulus' teenage daughter and two young sons up there.

“How are the kids taking Hikaru leaving?” he asked, aiming the question at both men. Ten years before, after the Close Call was resolved and Hikaru and Ben's marriage was more solid than ever, Hikaru had requested a transfer to the Yorktown. In that time he had been gone no longer than ten days on one mission as a shuttle pilot.

“As well as can be expected,” Ben admitted. “Demora just puts her headphones on and cranks up the sound of some god-awful boy band when we try and talk about it, and the boys go from being excited to crying that Daddy's going to be away. It sucks, but hopefully we won't be gone long.”

“I don't think we will be,” Jim assured them. “Mr. Sulu, have you checked in with Mr. Scott and the Enterprise?”

“Yes, Admiral,” he replied, snapping to at the use of his surname. “Everyone you have requested is on board... along with Captain Decker.”

“Damnit, Jim, does that man know you're taking his ship?”

“Now, Bones, calm down. I'm not taking 'his' ship. The Admiralty gave her back to me for this mission. This unknown entity is dangerous. They needed someone with more experience out there.”

“More experience doing what? Flying a desk?”

“That's not funny, Bones.”

“Yes it is,” Ben chimed in.

“It really is,” Hikaru agreed.

“Ugh, he doesn't need your help,” Jim groused, gently shoving the two laughing men towards the stairs. “You two go coo over your perfect teenager and perfect boys while I calm down the hermit, here.”

“Hermit?” McCoy smiled, rubbing at his full beard. “Yeah, guess I should probably shave. Think Carol will miss it?”

“I think Carol will be grateful that there was a galactic incident, since that's what it's taking to get you to get rid of it.”

“Nah, she likes it.”

“She really doesn't.”

McCoy shook his head, not wanting to fight Jim on this one.

“So this is it. The crew is back together, on the Enterprise.”

“Just for the one mission,” Jim insisted.

“Right, and you won't find another way later to pull us all back together.”

“No way,” he argued. “I'm settled down with Janice and George. It would take something drastic, like Kahn getting out of cryo to come after me, to get me back into space after this.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever you say.”

Before Kirk could say anything in return, there was the sound of feet pounding down the stairs and then they were surrounded by three kids jockeying for position to get hugs from the two men. Ben and Hikaru followed at a more sedate pace, smiling at the sight.

“Did you ever think it would turn out like this?” Ben asked quietly. “Ten years ago, when you first came home?”

“At the time?” Hikaru mused, wrapping an arm around his husband's shoulders. “At the time, all I could think of was my own pain. I was too self absorbed to think of anyone else and how my decisions might affect us.”

“That's not true. You may not remember, but I do. You made it clear you wanted me happy. It's not selfish for you to have wanted to be happy, too. I'm just glad you came to the decision that I could still make you happy.” Ben turned to him, suddenly worried. “Are you? Happy?”

“Yeah, I really am. Are you?”

“Very. Now go, save the galaxy, and come home safely to me.”

“Gladly.” 

Hikaru swept Ben into his arms and kissed him deeply, ignoring the gagging sounds of their family behind them. When they parted, he smiled warmly at his husband, stroking his cheek.

“Take care of yourself and the kids. I'll be back as soon as possible.”

“Just come back in one piece.”

“I will.” Hikaru let him go and headed to the door to follow the others who had already taken their leave and were waiting outside for him. “Take care of your dad, kids! I love you!”

Hikaru Sulu closed the door to his home to the sounds of his favorite four voices yelling their 'I love you's back. He was looking forward to being back out amongst the stars. He was looking forward to coming home to Ben even more.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said in the summary, if you are strictly a Hikaru/Ben fan, then this chapter was the end of the story for you. Please comment and/or leave Kuddos if you like! However, if you care to fall into the rabbit hole with me, stay tuned for chapter 2.2, the Jim/Ben chapter. It will be longer (so it's taking me longer to write, plus I'm working on other stuff) because we're dealing with a new, developing relationship, unlike this one where I skipped over all the work these two probably had to do to fix their marriage.

**Author's Note:**

> Last minute I decided to post this in chapters because I had a dream (wish I were kidding about that LOL) that gave this story an alternate ending. An actual happy ending. I guess my subconscious was having issues with what I was doing to the Sulu family. So, spoilers are unfortunately necessary, in that Chapter 2.2 necessarily has the pairings now changed to Hikaru/Ben, Spock/Uhura. The alternate chapter won't be as long and deals almost exclusively with the Sulus, so it will also not contain McCoy/Marcus. It will take me a couple of days to finish writing both chapters, especially since I'm working on a couple of other stories as well. Thanks for your patience!


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